This was the difficulty. It was clear to me that the solution of the problem of the true definition of the character and action of Moral Forces, and the application of the resulting theory to an explanation of the origin of Christianity, implied the solution of no less than three problems. First, a solution of the problem of Moral Forces implied such a solution of the general problem of Causation as would reconcile the antagonistic views of Idealists and Materialists. But this implied such a solution of the general problem of Philosophical Method as would necessarily lead to such more complete views of Causation. And suppose these problems solved-suppose such a Method, and such a Theory of Causation, obtained; then, in order to the application of such a theory to an historical problem, some general Law of the historical development of Moral Forces must be discovered. For a truly scientific explanation of any historical phenomenon can be given only in showing its relation to some larger facts of development. And a scientific explanation, therefore, of the origin of Christianity implies the discovery of some general Law to which it may be referred. The first half of this volume gives the result of my consideration of these philosophical problems; the second half, the application of these results to the historical problem of the origin of Christianity. In the long course of work on the larger problems, Mr. Buckle's remark and suggestion at the mid-day rest of that day's journey in Galilee was quite forgotten, save, I suppose, in "latent cerebration." Lately, however, it was re-called by a chance-look into my Eastern Diary, and thus was pleasantly confirmed, what had seemed to be the independent conclusion, that the solution of the problem of the origin of Christianity was the true test of those views I had maintained in discussion with him. Of the application of the solutions stated in the first half of this volume, to the problem urged on me by Mr. Buckle, the result is, first, an explanation of the origin of the preexisting beliefs in supernatural Beings, and myths of God-men coming on earth for the good of mankind, being put to death, or descending into hell, and returning to life; and, secondly, an explanation of the origin of Christian doctrines as a moral transformation of these myths and beliefs. This transformation is shown to have been the natural consequence of a great pre-Christian Revolution which undermined belief in the old heathen religions, yet left popular ignorance as gross, and the mythic imagination, which had to satisfy new moral wants, as undisciplined as ever. This Moral Revolution of the Sixth Century B.C. is now, for the first time, pointed out; and in the discovery of it such a general historical Law is verified as can alone afford a truly scientific explanation of the origin of Christianity. This explanation first suggested itself to me on finding that the doctrines of Christianism differed from the myths of Osirianism chiefly, if not only, in their higher moral character. In connecting the main divisions of the argument with special scenes and emotions of travel, I have sought to compensate, in some degree, for summariness of treatment, by し vividness of presentation. Nor is this connection by any means fictitious. The arguments are the development of thoughts which did, in fact, occupy me amid the scenes and emotions of Egyptian travel, brief descriptions, or rather suggestions, of which form the prologues and epilogues. And thus, both from the character of the theory, and from its local origin, fitly it seems to be published under the auspices of Isis AND OSIRIS, the mythic forms of Nature and of Man. J. S. S.-G. LINCOLN'S INN: June, 1873-'78. ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. :0:- INTRODUCTION. THE NEW PHILOSOPHY OF HISTORY. PROLOGUE. The Rock of Malta. §1. The Historical Suggestiveness of Malta 2. The study of Man's History as an issue from Religious Doubt 3. Malta as a Symbol of Christian Orthodoxy 4. The Questions Where? Whence? and Whither? 5. The Answers to these Questions by Paul at Malta SECTION I. The Needfulness of an Ultimate Law of History. SUBSECTION I. The Need of a Law of History as the Basis of a New Ideal. §1. The origin of the Christian Philosophy of History 2. Acceptance of the Philosophy, essential to Belief in the Creed, of 3. Bossuet's and Vico's Prelude to the New Philosophy of History 10 13 14 16 5. Its great destructive generalisation-Narratives of Miracles, Re- 7. The main argument against the Christian Philosophy of History 8. The need of a New Ideal, and of a Law of History as its Basis The Nondiscovery, as yet, of the Ultimate Law of History. §1. Mr. Froude's scepticism as to possibility of a Science of History 3. Even for true Pictorial, Philosophical History necessary 7. Development of Historical Idea in Science, Literature and Art 8. Culmination of New Philosophy of History, Condorcet and Comte 49 PAGE. 11. Result of Survey of History of New Philosophy of History - Neces- 55 12. The Aim of such an Inquiry-a True Definition of Moral Forces and 13. Such an Inquiry the most hopeful Means of discovering the Ulti- SUBSECTION III. 57 58 The Need of a Law of History as the Authority of a New Polity. 2. The Inadequacy of Public Opinion as a Guide to Policy 3. The Change in the Basis of the Christian Social System 4. Results of Knowledge of Origin of Existing Forms of Social Insti- Reflection on Social Injustice, Vice, and Misery .. 7. Attempt to Reconcile the Spirit of Christianity and Spirit of Re- .. 8. Necessity of a New Objective Principle of Authority, and its Character 9. A Law that shall give to Polity a New Authority, and to the Ideal SECTION II. The Principles of a New Philosophical Method. SUBSECTION I. The Proximate Principles of Philosophical Investigation. 2. Its Method must be derived from a more complete and systematic 3. The First Proximate Principle, or the Generalising Principle of 88 4. The Second Proximate Principle, or the Developing Principle of Correlation 90 Deduction 5. The Third Proximate Principle, or the Verifying Principle of 6. General Grounds of Hope in the Principles of this Method.. SUBSECTION II. A Classification of the Sciences and Arts. §1. The foregoing Principles of Method first to be applied to the Classi- 2. The Mathematical Sciences as Sciences of Position,-Discontinuous, 3. The Physical Sciences as Sciences of Motion,-Translation, Trans- 100 102 104 4. The Cosmogenetical Sciences as Sciences of Evolution,-Astrono- 5. The Mental, as Correlates of the Natural Sciences, and the Logical 109 |